How does it work?
Charity adventures are geared toward people who are passionate about adventure and have the desire to help those less fortunate.
It is the kind of adventures that aims at raising funds to a specific cause (environmental or social).

To enroll, you need to pay a registration fee. Then you'll need to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship. The sponsorship amount will vary depending on the challenge you undertake. Part of what you pay will pay the costs of the adventure (travel, accommodation, food, staff etc.) and the remaining will go to the chosen Charity. The percentage that goes to Charity varies, but usually is no less than 50% and often more.

Money information
Each adventure or expedition will have a specific minimum price that will cover the tour costs (usually no more than 50%) and the charity part. Every pennie after this minimum ammount will go to Charity. There is no maximum ammount, the more you raise the more the Charity gets.

For example, it you choose to take part on the Hiking Sugar Loaf Charity Adventure. You'll need to raise a minimum of R$200,00. R$50,00 will cover the costs of the adventure. The remaining R$150,00 will be given to Charity.

If you do not raise the required amount you are liable to forfeit your place on the challenge. All sponsorship forms and sponsorship money should then be forwarded to the charity who will return it to your sponsors when requested. You can however make up the shortfall yourself in order to still take part.

How difficult are the adventures?
Each adventure or expedition has their own level of difficulty. In general, our adventures are designed to attend beginners and moderate adventurers. Therefore, you do need to have a reasonable level of fitness to take part, but you don’t have to be super fit. However, we strongly recommend that you slowly build up your fitness levels by doing some regular training in the months/weeks leading up to the event.

The Charity
Each adventure may sponsor a different charity. Please refer to the adventure to see who we are sponsoring at the time. The sponsorship might go to: medical research programs (like cancer and AIDS), orphanages, environmental causes, etc.

What is Included?
This varies by adventure but in general the following is included: land transportation (bus, ferry, train, etc), shared accommodation, breakfast, snacks whilst undertaking the activity, luggage transfer, bikes (if cycling) all necessary back-up including support vehicles, mechanics, and guides.

In general the following is not included: flights, registration fee, travel insurance, dinner, spending money, visa, tips, airport taxes and optional tours.

Fundraising Tips
Don't be daunted by reaching the required sponsorship level. Fundraising can be fun and with such an exciting adventure you should find fundraising a lot easier than you expect. The trick will be to let your local fundraising events work for you.

The most important part in fundraising is demonstrating the importance of their sponsorship. Wirte a consise letter explaining what the adventure is, why you are doing it and why an how they can sponsor you. Carefully study about the adventure and the charity so you can answer any question that might come up.

Here's a few general tips for raising the necessary funds:

Take your sponsorship forms wherever you go - you never know who might be willing to sponsor you!

Approach organisations such as local youth clubs, Women’s Institutes, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs to see if they can help you. Try approaching local schools as well. They may be willing to gather sponsorship money for you. You could do a presentation to them about your challenge and gain more support.

Send press releases to local newspapers not only advertise the fundraising events you are holding for the adventure, but also create more interest from local individuals and businesses who may be willing to donate prizes or help through sponsorship. Talk to reporters to see if they would be willing to write a story about you. If so, you should wear a t-shirt bearing the Company Logos of those who are sponsoring you. Approach your local radio station and try to persuade them to give you some air time. They could interview you to discuss the Challenge: a before and after story would be a really good idea and may create local interest.

Find out if your Company has a newsletter, email list, or magazine that could circulate an article about the adventure and the events that you are holding to fundraise for it.

Approach the Company you work for and their suppliers and see if they want to sponsor you for the event. Ask them if they will match every pennie / pound / real that you raise, helping you to double your total! This way you may only have to raise half the amount.

Persuade people to donate a promise of their time, use of their belongings, or to donate a gift. You can even ask people to donate themselves and auction them as "slaves" for the day.

Ask all your colleagues to bring just one pound / dolar / real to work every day in aid of the charity. They can also bring sandwiches for their lunch and donate the money saved to the charity.

Arrange a band and food and charge a reasonable price. Organise a raffle and/or an auction. Try to persuade local businesses, stores, bars, restaurants and theatres to donate prizes for the raffle/auction.

Use an expert or well known personality, who is prepared to donate their time to give a talk or performance. Charge admission, have a break to sell refreshments and an auction of a signed book or autograph.

Have a company fun day and charge teams to take part in a competition: outdoors outings, sports competition, treasure hunt, quiz nights, etc..

Promote parties: halloween, masked ball, karaoke, dinner parties. Ask a local pub to host one for you and charge people to get in or take part.

Stay in for an evening you’d normally go out and donate the money saved to the charity.

Invite an ‘expert’ or local wine dealer to bring along a few cases of wine and donate some of the proceeds of his sales to the charity.

Combine more than one fundraising idea at one event. For example, hold a raffle during your Karaoke night, or shave your head for a local pub-crawl. Remember - original ideas create interest!

Invite all your sponsors for a “happy hour” event before and after the adventure. Make sure you show them pictures and demonstrate how useful their sponsorship is/was.